The present invention generally relates to workpiece positioning and fixating systems, and more particularly to a modular apparatus and system for positioning and clamping a workpiece.
Workpiece positioning and clamping systems are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,445, issued to Morse discloses an apparatus for selectively positioning a workpiece adjacent to a guide on a substantially planar work surface of a power tool assembly. The positioning apparatus is adapted to selectively position the workpiece at selected ones of a plurality of predetermined lateral offsets with respect to a cutter. The positioning apparatus includes an indexing member having a plurality of index holes and an elongated index pin element. The indexing member is affixed to either the workpiece or the guide, and the pin element is affixed to the other of the workpiece or the guide, so that the workpiece may be positioned adjacent to the indexing member and the guide, with the pin element extending through and interferingly engaging one of the index holes. This apparently permits the generation of a succession of cuts in a workpiece which are substantially uniformly spaced along a reference axis.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,500,079 and 4,801,225, issued to Morghen disclose a removable and replaceable locating pin adapted to locate a workpiece on a tooling fixture for machining. The locating pin is adapted to cooperate with a workpiece for positioning the workpiece in various directions of restraint. The locating pin is provided with manually actuatable locking means that permit easy adjustment or removal of the specific locator pin as a particular machining operation may require.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,086, issued to Miyahara, et al., discloses a method and apparatus for positioning a workpiece to a pallet on a working line. The line transports plural kinds of workpieces. Plural positioning pins are provided at various locations on each pallet to enable all the workpieces to be carried by the pallets. Each positioning pin has a set position and a reset position. All positioning pins are first reset to the reset position, thereafter, a selected positioning pin is set to the set position to accommodate a particular kind of workpiece. The positioning of the workpiece is accomplished by fitting a positioning hole defined by the selected workpiece onto the selected positioning pin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,012, issued to Haddad, et al., discloses a modular workpiece holding apparatus for locating and holding a workpiece in a predetermined position. The apparatus includes a base having a plurality of external faces, each with a plurality of bores arranged in an X-Y grid pattern of parallel rows. The bores alternate vertically and horizontally between first and second different diameter bores. A riser is mounted at a predetermined position on the base by bushings and fasteners extending between the riser and the bores in the base. The bushings in each riser are arranged in diagonally opposed pairs such that one pair of bushings engages the first diameter bores in the base, while the second opposed pair of bushings engages the second enlarged diameter bores in the base. A workpiece attachment member is mounted on the mounting head end of each riser to locate and hold a workpiece. The mounting head of each riser is axially in line with the riser mounting base or offset from the riser mounting base. Each bushing includes an internal bore having a threaded end portion and an enlarged, coaxial, smooth portion. Each fastener includes a plurality of threads adjacent one end and an unthreaded portion extending from the threaded end so as to be movably retainable within a bushing in the riser mounting base after the threaded end portion of the fastener is threaded through the threaded end of the bore in the riser mounting base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,033, issued to Roxy, discloses a universal system for support and positioning a workpiece for use with a device such as an inspection system. A plurality of individual alignment devices are inserted into predetermined holes of a platform having a matrix of holes. Individual alignment devices support, clamp, datum point position, and provide reference points. Each alignment device includes stanchions of varying length. These stanchions appear to be capable of being connected to each other. Once an alignment device is positioned in a hole, it can be fine tuned in all directions to get an exact location, so that workpieces of widely varying types, shapes and sizes can be positioned using the same set of alignment devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,616, issued to Jakob discloses a locating device for positioning a workpiece on a processing apparatus. A first embodiment includes a base and a fixture plate with positioning means between the base and the fixture plate. An abutment defines a fixed reference point for locking the fixture plate on the base through a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism also includes release cylinders so that the fixture plate can be quickly interchanged for introducing a new workpiece. A second embodiment includes a base structure that comprises a first clamping unit and a second clamping unit that support a fixture plate. First positioning means secured to each clamping unit cooperate with second positioning means secured to the fixture plate. Clamping means engage and lock the fixture plate in position. The clamping means include locking members that are slidably disposed in channels in the blocks.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,638, issued to Ausillio discloses a clamp having slip plane positioning capability that enables a clamp nose and an attached pressure foot, which are initially non-permanently attached to a clamp arm, to be brought into a final predetermined coordinate position before the clamp nose is fixedly attached to the clamp arm. The clamp nose has a pressure foot mounted at one end. An open-ended slot is formed at the other end of the clamp nose and slidingly engages opposed side walls of one end of the clamp arm. A fastener threadingly extends through a portion of the clamp nose binding the slot into engagement with the clamp arm to non-permanently attach the clamp nose to the clamp arm. The clamp nose and the pressure foot are positionally adjusted with respect to the clamp arm, at final assembly, to bring the pressure foot into a predetermined coordinate position before the clamp nose is fixedly secured to the clamp arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,362,036, issued to Whiteman discloses a modular welding fixture for positioning a workpiece. The fixture includes a base table having an array of openings through the surface and an array of locator mounting holes colocated in spaced relationship, with respect to the openings, to accommodate at least one vertical end locator having a base plate that is removably mountable to the base table at preselected positions. The locator has means for locating and holding at least a portion of a workpiece. The fixture further includes at least one horizontal locator having a base plate that is removably mountable to the base table at preselected positions, and the base plate includes means for locating and holding at least a portion of a workpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,383, issued to Ausillio discloses a clamp having slip plane positioning capability that enables a clamp nose and an attached pressure foot, which are initially non-permanently attached to the clamp arm, to be brought into a final predetermined coordinate position before the clamp nose is fixedly attached to the clamp arm. The clamp nose has a pressure foot mounted at one end. An open-ended slot is formed at the other end of the clamp nose and slidingly engages opposed side walls of one end of the clamp arm. In one embodiment, a fastener threadingly extends through a portion of the clamp nose surrounding the slot, and into engagement with the clamp arm to non-permanently attach the clamp nose to the clamp arm. In another embodiment, aligned bores and slots are formed in adjoining surfaces of the clamp nose and the clamp arm so as to receive fasteners therethrough to non-permanently mount the clamp nose on the clamp arm. The clamp nose and the pressure foot attached thereto are positionally adjusted with respect to the clamp arm at final assembly to bring the pressure foot into a predetermined coordinate position before the clamp nose is fixedly secured to the clamp arm.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,811, issued to Smith discloses a modular system for the support and positioning of a workpiece for use with an inspection system. The modular system includes a base having a plurality of exterior faces, at least some of which have an array of equally spaced holes forming a grid pattern. At least one riser is attached to the base cube by a fastener, which can be inserted into the riser by defeating an outwardly biased locking member at the inner end of the fastener, extending through the riser and into the holes of the base cube. The fastener is used to provide positive location and fastening of the risers to the base cube. Functions of individual risers include support, clamping, datum point positioning and providing reference points.
U.S. Pat. No. 5.516.089, issued to Seniff et al., discloses a workpiece locating unit that is receivable in a T-slot formed in a workpiece supporting table member. It provides a pin or other locating device cooperable with a locating feature on a workpiece to aid in accurately positioning the workpiece on the work supporting surface of the table member. The unit has four corners each providing an abutment surface for engagement with one or the other of two vertical slot surfaces. Two diagonally opposite ones of the abutment surfaces are rigid and the other two diagonally opposite ones of the abutment surfaces are resilient. The resilient abutment surfaces resiliently engage the two vertical surfaces of the slot and urge the unit about a vertical axis to hold the rigid abutment surfaces engaged with the vertical slot surfaces eliminating lateral looseness between the unit and the table member and providing accurate positioning of the locating device of the unit as the unit is moved from one position to another along the length of the slot.
These and other prior art positioning and clamping systems often require multiple fixtures and component parts to be on hand in order to accommodate multiple parts that are to be positioned in any given manufacturing shift. This requires extensive inventories of clamps and associated fixtures, as well as, well trained and technically sophisticated personnel to properly select and operate them. This adds to the cost and complexity of such systems. Also such prior art positioning and clamping systems do not lend themselves to a modular design, that is in conformance with NAAM standards, and that allows for fine adjustments of position of a clamped workpiece through the selection of easily identifiable and assembled modular parts. As a consequence, there has been a long felt need for a workpiece positioning and clamping system that avoids the foregoing problems in the prior art.
The present invention provides a modular system for locating and clamping a workpiece in space. One aspect of the present invention provides a positioning blade comprising a riser mount having a bottom edge surface, a first side edge surface, a second side edge surface, a top edge surface, and including a plurality of first mounting-bores and a plurality of first positioning-bores defined through the riser mount between the edge surfaces. A clamp mount is provided on the blade that projects outwardly from the first side edge surface, and includes a plurality of second mounting-bores and a plurality of second positioning-bores. The first positioning-bores comprise a predetermined positional relationship to the second positioning-bores. A locator arm is also provided on the blade and projects outwardly from the second side edge surface. The locator arm has a plurality of third positioning-bores where the third positioning-bores comprise a predetermined position relative to the first positioning-bores and the second positioning-bores.
A system for positioning and clamping a workpiece is also provided that includes in combination the foregoing positioning blade mounted on means for elevating the workpiece, e.g., a riser, and means for clamping the workpiece.
A kit for forming a variety of fixtures for positioning and clamping a workpiece is also provided that includes a plurality of position determining modules wherein each module comprises a positioning blade having a different set of positional locations for its positioning-bores.